Enter The Wild Kats
by DragonRiderNinja
Summary: Two ex Navy Top Gun pilots get kidnapped by Dark Kat and dragged into the world of the SWAT Kats Please R
1. Kidnapped

Eric put his latest shot down on the counter, the noise of the bar around him nothing more than an annoying echo.

He glanced up and stared at his reflection in the mirror. Staring back was a male of more than average height, with hair worn a little longer than most of the people at his former job. He was wearing his pilot's leather jacket (with the zipper down) and the heel of one of his western boots was resting on the crossbar of the stool he was sitting on. His gaze lowered and out of the lower corner of his eye he could see his button down shirt and black denim jeans.

He pulled back a strand of black hair from his face as the barkeep came closer.

"Another round, George. I don't want to see the bottom of this glass for awhile." He said thickly.

He looked at Eric and shook his head taking the man's glass away. "No more tonight, Erik. You've had enough." He said gruffly. Eric's hand shot out and grabbed the barkeep's wrist.

"I've had enough when I've said I've had enough" Eric hissed angrily, then felt a hand on his on his shoulder.

He turned his head and Cassie stood there looking at him. She was about his height with long brown hair that she wore in a ponytail. She had aqua green eyes which were rare for someone of Japanese-American descent.

"Eric…" She started to say...but he shook her off and snatched his glass back, twirling it on the counter.

"Eric I know what happened…" Cassie tried again.

"Drop it Cass" He growled in warning.

"…and..." She continued then stopped when Eric hurled his glass at the mirror, shattering it. He leapt to his feet and turned on her.

"I said 'drop it'" He snarled then stormed out of the bar, every eye on him as he disappeared.

Eric jammed his hands in his jacket pockets as he stalked down the sidewalk bypassing his bike. Behind him, the bar door opened and quick footsteps hurried to catch up to him.

"Erik please…" Cassie begged as she came up to him and matched his stride.

"Don't you have another pilot to introduce yourself to? I'm sure he's more competent than me" He demanded cutting her off as he turned down an alley.

He heard her stop in her tracks when they were halfway down it and say, "Actually no!"

Eric froze in mid step and turned to look at her, her hair billowing in the light wind as she glared at him.

"I turned in my wings and so did half a dozen other pilots and copilots in protest on how you'd gotten shafted. You are the best pilot that ever came out of the Navy and Top Gun training. What happened wasn't your fault and I refuse to fly with anyone else." She said flatly.

He looked at her for a moment then turned away to continue walking. "You shouldn't have done that. I'm not worth it." He said coldly over his shoulder.

"YOU CAN'T GO THROUGH THIS ALONE! YOU… YOU… STUBBORN ASS!" She yelled furiously behind him.

But he ignored her and continued on until he reached the corner and turned, only going a couple of steps before hearing a scream from where he'd left Cassie. Shocked, he whipped back around and saw a creepy purple light coming from the alley.

"Cassie!" Eric shouted in fear, racing back around the corner. He froze when he saw Cassie being attacked by what looked like small pink gargoyles coming out of a weird glowing hole in the side of a building next to Cassie. It was something out of a science fiction movie.

Shaking off his shock, Eric darted forward and took a flying leap, feet outward, nailing one of the creatures with a hard kick sending it flying back.

"Paws off lizard lips!" He shouted before suddenly being tackled off his feet by the other creature from behind. More creatures came out of the hole and grabbed the humans by their arms.

"LET US GO YOU LITTLE CREEPS!" Cassie yelled. Eric just grunted and kicked but couldn't manage to hit one of them.

The creatures made loud screeching noises as they hauled their prisoners toward the weird hole. Eric struggled even harder but went limp when a trash can lid connected with his head making him see stars and lose consciousness.

Eric woke with a splitting headache and felt dried blood on the side of his head. It hurt too much to open his eyes yet.

'It's got to be the whiskey I drank. Ugh! What a dream I had!' He thought groggily.

After laying still a moment longer, he tried to move his arms and legs but there seemed to be something holding them. That caused him to snap his eyes open. He found he was strapped to a table and beside him was Cassie restrained the same way on another table.

"Cassie, Cassie wake up!" He said anxiously, ignoring the pain in his head. She'd heard him and began to groan, slowly cracking her eyes open.

She tried to move her limbs just as he had and her eyes widened as she realized she was tied down. Cassie looked at him in confusion then looked around their surroundings. He did the same and discovered they were in some kind of laboratory. Here and there on various tables were chemicals, vials, and various other unknown equipment. Staring ahead, over their feet, they saw a pair of double sliding doors.

"Where are we and what were those things" She asked softly.

"I don't know! I thought I was just dreaming from too much whiskey but this seems too real for a dream!" He said worriedly.

Suddenly there was a hiss and the doors began to open. In the shadow of the doors something large stood a moment watching them. A couple of those pink creatures darted forward and stood in front of some of the equipment. The prisoner's eyes widened in horror as the shadowy figure stepped forward into the light of the room.

It looked like a massive cat-like creature in a giant black hooded cloak lined in red with metal epaulets on each shoulder. It's face was partially hidden in shadow as its yellow eyes looked them over then it laughed evilly.

"Well done my creeplings! Soon we will be rid of those infernal SWAT Kats!" It said coldly.

Eric blinked then frowned. 'I may be a cat person but this is ridiculous.' He thought.

"This is a dream...right?" Cassie asked in disbelief.

He raised his head and banged it down on the table to try and shake the image but it was still there and his head hurt even worse.

"Well, it's definitely not a dream. So, what's your story Mr. Kitty? Got bit by a radioactive cat?" Eric asked sarcastically, still not able to grasp this strange situation they were in.

The large creature growled and it sounded like a mountain lion. "Your insolence won't get you anywhere. If you weren't important to my plans, I'd destroy you instantly for that flippant remark." It said nastily then it turned to a pair of his gargoyle creatures and nodded. Apparently that was a signal because suddenly a pair of mechanical arms came down from the ceiling with loaded needles toward the helpless humans.

"What are those? What are you going to do to us?" Cassie pleaded, terror in her eyes as the needles got closer.

The creature's yellow eyes stared mercilessly down at her. "You'll find out soon enough. You're perfect for my needs." He rumbled.

"Look buddy! I may like cats and I do have a couple at home and you may be cute in your own demented way, but you're definitely not my type." Cassie said bravely.

"Silence! Soon you will be soon under my control but first a little change is in order." It growled with satisfaction.

Eric struggled harder as the needle came closer and closer to his arm. "Hey if this is a job interview you're going about it all wrong. I think I should tell you that my pilot's license was revoked" He panted in fear.

Their struggles were to no avail as the needles connected with their arms and injected their contents. Just seconds too late, an explosion roared from behind the beds, showering debris on the two helpless prisoners and knocking them both out again.

When the dust cleared, the SWAT Kats sprang into the lab. T-Bone bared his fangs at the sight of Dark Kat. A few of his creeplings abandoned their posts and charged them. The brawny tabby leveled his Glovatrix and fired a missile which exploded, spreading a heavy net that swept the creatures back and pinned them to a nearby wall.

As they struggled to get free, the pair charged toward Dark Kat. The evil Kat pressed a button on his cane which released a bright flash of light, blinding the SWAT Kats long enough for him to make his escape.

"CRUD! He got away again!" T-Bone snarled angrily, slamming a fist into the wall.

Razor was silent for a moment as he looked around. "Hey! Who or what are these things?" He asked, pointing at the two beds and its strange occupants.

T-Bone blinked in shock. Strapped to a pair of tables were what looked like furless and tailless cats. "They look like furless Kats." He said, stating the obvious.

"They may be furless but they do have hair and I'm not sure they are Kats, T-Bone." Razor said, pointing at the obvious hair on each of the creature's heads. "Their ears are wrong and they have more fingers than we do." He added.

"Definitely weird! So what should we do with them?" T-Bone asked his partner.


	2. Among Freinds and Changes

Eric turned his head left and right. It felt like someone had used it for a punching bag and there was the feeling a slab of metal was pressing into his back. Trying to get more comfortable he rolled over and landed face first on, what felt like, a carpeted floor.

"Ok that hurt…uh...wait a minute!" He moaned then realized he was unbound.

Slowly rolling to his side, he blinked then gradually sat up. When he realized he was generally alright, he got to his feet. "Man, I must have been really drunk...what a dream," Eric said groggily, holding his head.

He shook his head, trying to clear it. Looking around his apartment, he noticed something odd, " "I don't remember buying that plant," He muttered as he began to walk around the couch he had obviously fallen off of only it was still occupied.

'Humph! She must have spent the night' He thought blearily, taking hold of a blanket at the end of the couch and laying it over her.

Turning away, he headed for the kitchen to get a drink but paused in confusion and looked back at the couch. 'Wait a minute, I don't keep blankets on the couch.' He thought, bewildered before shaking it off as not important right now.

He continued on into the kitchen and made for the fridge. Opening it, he recoiled in shock, "Since when do I buy this much milk?' He thought then bent down to pick one out while staring at the two racks full of canned milk. 'And since when does milk come in cans. These don't look right!' He frowned as he stared at a strange label on the can he held.

"Help yourself why don't you," Drawled a voice behind him.

Eric stiffened then reacted swiftly when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He quickly hooked his arm up and around, locking the strangers arm in place before spinning around and kicking the guy across the chest. He doubled up as Eric spun the other way dropping down into a crouch to sweep the guy's legs out from under him.

His opponent now down on his back, Eric dropped his body on top and pulled a fist back to slam the stranger in the face and that's when he got a good look at the guy.

The stranger was as tall as Eric but much more muscular and broader in the chest. What parts weren't covered by a mechanic's coverall were covered in sandy-colored fur. The face that stared at him angrily was that of a cat with green eyes wearing a red ball cap facing backward with long pointed ears sticking up on either side of it.

The shock hit his brain seconds later and he leaped off the cat-like creature and slammed into the open fridge, falling to the floor screaming. "AAAAAAARRRRRAAAAAGGGGGGG!" He yelled. The cat person sat up and covered his ears, wincing.

In the living room, Cassie jerked awake and sat up when she heard the scream. Before she could find out who was making the noise, her eyes fell on a stranger standing before her. The person, if that what you would call it, looked like an biped cat-like being wearing a mechanic's coverall. It had a lean built and, what wasn't covered by clothes, showed long cinnamon-colored fur. It's face was definitely cat-like with brown eyes and wearing a red ball cap backward on its head. It had long ears sticking out the sides of the cap.

"Chance is everything, ok?" The cat person standing in front of Cassie spoke for the first time causing Cassie to shriek. The poor cat placed his paws over his ears in self defense.

In the kitchen, Eric heard Cassie. He looked down at the cat on the floor, who lowered his hands from his ears eyed the standing person carefully before speaking.

"Good! You're done with the yelling. I thought I was going to go deaf. By the way, those were some sweet moves you used on me, where'd you learn them?" The cat asked easily as he stood cautiously, keeping his hands at his side, making it clear he was offering no threat.

When Eric just stared at him then looked toward the living room and back again while still standing defensively, the cat sighed and raised his hands out in a placating gesture.

"Look, relax! We're not going to hurt you!" He started to say carefully.

Still on alert, Eric reached out and grabbed one of the guys hands...paws?...and flipped the cat into the fridge. The cat landed back first into it causing the shelves to collapse and spill milk all over the floor.

Out in the living area, Cassie flipped over the back of the couch and took a defensive stance against the slim cat facing her. It looked at her in surprised dismay. He held up his paws? in an attempt to appease the female. They both looked toward the kitchen when they heard the crash.

Moving quickly, Cassie made for the door and saw Eric standing rigidly to one side while slumped inside the fridge was another much larger cat. Behind Cassie, the other smaller cat exclaimed angrily.

"Hey, we just filled that!"

Cassie jumped at the voice behind her and rushed over to Eric's side so they could have a united front against these two creatures.

Annoyed, the big cat struggled to his feet, covered in spilt milk. The smaller cat went to his friend's side and offered a towel.

"Crud! What a mess!" The big cat growled as he mopped the milk off his fur.

Eric gritted his teeth as he moved to protect Cassie. "What! Has everyone been bitten by a radioactive cat?" He asked no one in particular.

"What are you talking about? Just what are you? Kats that shaved their fur off and cut off their tails?" The big cat asked sarcastically.

Eric stared the two cats and frowned angrily. "Hey buddy, we ask the questions and the most important one is...WHERE THE HELL ARE WE?" He shouted.

The cats traded glances then the slim one answered, "You're in our home located on the outskirts of Megakat City."

"Say what?!" Eric blurted in disbelief. "You expect me to believe that garbage." He said angrily.

Cassie continued to stare at the pair as she asked cautiously, "Ah! Are you guys aliens or something?"

The cat guys recoiled slightly then looked at each other before looking at us again. "No! But we have met some. We belong here but you...I would have to say you're the ones that are aliens." the smaller cat said positively.

Letting that statement sink in, Eric traded a look of growing horror with Cassie. Not wanting to believe what they both were beginning to be afraid happened to them, he asked, "What planet are we on?"

"Well we call it Earth," The big cat said shrugging.

Eric let out a huff of air. "Buddy I don't know what you're on but this is not Earth!" He growled with certainty.

The big one frowned and stepped forward. "What are you talking about what else would it…" it bristled in anger and moved forward but it's friend halted it with a paw on it's arm while looking at the pair before them.

"I think I know what's going on. This is not your earth but it is ours!" It said, a look of sorrow for them on it's furry face.

Eric blinked in confusion at that statement. "You've lost me," He said.

The slim cat sighed and gestured toward the living area. "I think you'd better sit down while I try and explain my theory. I promise, we won't hurt you," It said gently, leading the way to the other room. After only a moments hesitation, it's friend did the same.

Cassie and Eric looked at each other in uncertainty.

"What do you think?" He asked, glancing at the doorway.

"What choice do we have? We have no idea what's going on." Cassie said helplessly.

"Yeah! You're right. Come on, let's see what the cat has to say." Eric said with a tight smile.

They walked into the room. The two cats had taken chairs facing the couch and waited for them to sit down. They did so and listened as the smaller of the two began it's explanation.

Ten minutes later, Eric and Cassie mouths hung open in shock at what they were hearing.

"…so you see the two of you must be from a different dimension where your race is apparently the dominate species while on our Earth our race is." It concluded.

Eric let his head fall into his hands which were propped up on his elbows resting on his knees.

"We are definitely not in Kansas anymore!" Cassie muttered.

The big cat clapped it's hands together lightly. "Well at last you see the light. Look! We've all gotten off on the wrong foot here. How about we introduce ourselves and start from there, shall we? My name is Chance Furlong and this is my best friend and partner, Jake Clawson and you are?" He asked politely.

Sighing in resignation, Cassie agreed with the big cat about trying to be friends and introduced herself. "I'm called Cassie Morioka." She said quietly.

"Erik Slater's my name. Now do you know how to get us home?" He asked tightly.

They looked at each unhappily then Jake said sadly, "We don't know Erik."

Eric sighed bitterly. "Well, do you know how we got here?" He asked spreading his arms out to indicate the apartment.

"ahh… a couple of friends of ours dropped you off for medical attention," Chance said easily, pointing at Eric' arm.

Eric looked down for the first time and noted a bandage wrapped around his elbow and one on Cassie's. "Oh, it definitely wasn't a dream then. That's where this big cat in a cloak..." He began to explain when Jake interrupted sharply.

"Crud! Dark Kat!"

"What?" Eric asked, startled by the smaller cat's reaction.

"His name is Dark Kat," Jake said, his face twisted with hatred.

"Really, that seems to fit him. Anyway, he injected Cassie and I with something." Eric finished his explanation.

"Oh that's not good. Do you know what it was?" Jake asked in concern.

Cassie shook her head. "We don't know. All that creepy cat said was he needed us but that we needed to change first. Whatever that meant." She said shrugging.

The two cats stared at each other with a heavy look of worry. Jake turned back to them and said, grimly, "I think you two had better stay here with us for now."

Eric gave a bitter smile. "Where else are we going to go looking like this?" He said pointing at themselves.

Chance nodded. "Good point," He acknowledged. He got up from the couch and headed back to the kitchen. "Well, this mess has to be cleaned up." He grumbled.

"We'll help. After all, I caused it." Eric said, having followed the cats to the kitchen trailed by Cassie.

As they cleaned up the mess, Eric let all that had been said over the last hour filter through his mind. Mopping the floor clean, he looked up and asked Jake, "Who were these friends of yours that dropped us off? Wouldn't they tell someone about us?"

"No they wouldn't. They call themselves the SWAT Kats." Chance grunted as he finished repairing the fridge shelves.

Cassie and Eric jolted at that information and said at the same time, "The SWAT Kats?"

Jake nodded. "Yeah they're local heroes and do what the enforcers, our local military force, can't. They bring down the super criminals and keep the katizens of this city safe. Why?" He asked.

"Dark Kat said he snatched us because of them," Eric told them bitterly.

Chance closed the fridge door and frowned at them. "Why the heck would he want you to take on the SWAT Kats?" He asked.

Eric shrugged in confusion. "We don't know for sure. It could have something to do with the fact I used to be a Navy pilot," He said, guessing.

"Navy, what's that?" Jake asked.

Cassie explained, "It's one branch of our military that guards our oceans and seas. I was his co-pilot." She turned her face away after that last comment.

As if sensing the tension in the air, Jake looked at Eric and asked "So you guys meet in this Navy" He asked gently.

Cassie shook her head and answered instead. "Actually we knew each other most of our lives. We kinda grew up together. He was at my home so much he was practically a member of the family," She said.

Chance nodded. "Is that where you learned those cool moves?" He asked Eric.

Eric nodded. "I came over to her house from school one day with a black eye from…..anyway after her parents put an ice pack over it, I asked her father if he could teach me to fight. At first he wouldn't. When I asked why, he just said '...because you just want to hurt people. Before I'll teach you to fight, you will learn to heal people first.' So that's what he did, both Cassie and I." He said.

Chance nodded then the sound of a car horn floated up from downstairs. "Callie..." Chance said abruptly, leaving in a hurry for the stairs. Jake on his heels.

Surprised, Eric and Cassie went to the stairs and listened to the conversation drifting up from below.

In the garage, Chance walked up to Calico Briggs' sedan that was sitting at the door to their repair bay. He pulled his cap off and licked his paw to smooth his hair before putting the cap back on and greeting the beautiful she-kat. Jake rolled his eyes at his partner as Callie climbed out of her car.

"Hi Chance, hi Jake" She said, smiling at them both.

"Hi Callie," they said in unison.

They looked at each other and grimaced at such a juevenile response. Jake coughed to cover the moment and asked, "So Callie, what's wrong with your car? Didn't we just change the oil in it the other day?"

She blinked and looked at him. "Oh...ah... I felt a slight shifting on my way over here and I think the tires are slightly off," She said casually.

Jake nodded and went inside to get a roller as Chance gathered up the tools they would need to check the car. They returned and Jake laid on the roller and pushed himself under the vehicle as Chance laid their tools on the hood ready to hand whatever Jake needed. At that moment, Callie dropped a bomb on them.

"So who was that I caught sight of in your kitchen window when I drove up?" She asked innocently.

Jake banged his head on the undercarriage while a ratchet Chance was holding began to fall from his shocked paw. Callie watched as Chance caught the tool in mid-air and Jake slid out from under her car, rubbing his forehead.

"Uh...what?" Chance stuttered, not sure what to say.

Callie's smile was not friendly and her voice was cold when she said, "Chance I'm not dumb! Do you have a fem here or something?" She suddenly walked past them, through the break area, and began to make for the stairs of the apartment.

Jake and Chance shook off their shock and scrambled after her. "Callie, there's no one here but us. Besides, there's no she-kat but you here." Chance tried to tell her.

She halted on the stairs and turned to glare at them. Crossing her arms over her chest, she said angrily, "Now the two of you are insulting me by saying I'm dumb and blind. I can assure you, I'm not. I practically run Megakat City after all, and I think I can handle you two having a pair of she-kats here." Snorting in annoyance, Callie continued on up the stairs.

Eric and Cassie hurried back up the stairs but didn't know where they should hide. While they tried to decide, Callie came into the room. She made a gasp of shock and her eyes widened.

They whirled back around and stared in fear at the she-kat staring back at them.

Swallowing her shock, Callie said, "Okay, they're not she-kats. So what are they?"

"We're called Humans. Ah...are we going to end up in a giant fish tank or a lab table or a big plastic bag?" Erik asked shakily.

Hearing his voice, Callie fell straight back in a dead faint.

Erik looked at Jake and he shrugged. "That went better than expected," He said.

Chance had caught the she-kat before she hit the floor. He gathered her up in his arms and carried her to the couch. She was only unconscious for a minute or two before groggily waking, seeing the two weird creatures staring down at her and shrieking in fear as she practically leaped into Chance's arms.

After they finally managed to calm her down and Jake brought her some water. She listened as they explained what had happened to them and how the SWAT Kats had dropped them off here for there protection. Callie sipped her water and stared at them in bewilderment.

Finally she asked, "That's some story but why would Dark Kat want you two?"

Cassie and Erik looked at each other before she answered. "Well before you arrived we had theorized he wanted us to take on the SWAT Kats for him."

She frowned pointing at us. "You two are pilots?" she asked.

Erik raised his hand. "I'm the pilot she's the copilot and now we don't know how to get home," He said.

She nodded standing up and starting to pace with a finger wrapped around her chin. "So Dark Kat brought you here to battle the SWAT Kats, huh! Well I'm not surprised since they've been ruining his plans for conquest ever since they've been active. However, its obvious he planning something major by bringing you two here. We've got to act fast before either of you are spotted and cause a panic that could put lives in jeopardy." She said thoughtfully. "Then there's the unknown stuff Dark Kat injected you with. We should get your blood analyzed as fast as possible to learn what it's going to do to you because I doubt he's bothered with an antidote if I know him." She continued, still pacing.

Erik looked at Cassie who smiled back at him. "You know I could learn to like it here," She said. Eric could only gape at her.

"What are you talking about I mean these are nice guys and all but we don't belong here. We belong back home on our Earth," He blurted out in dismay at her attitude. The others looked at them questioningly.

"What do we have waiting for us back there Erik?" She asked him becoming more serious. "My parents passed away a couple years ago. You were shafted and blacklisted as a pilot by the Navy so you'll be lucky if you get a job as a aircraft mechanic much less be allowed to fly again."

"You may want to stay here Cassie, but I don't! Just because you had a tuna fish sandwich for breakfast does not mean you can last in a world of Cats, no offence." Erik said, glancing at his hosts. They just waved it off.

"That's not the point… wait a minute how did you know I had a tuna fish sandwich for breakfast? You left before I did," She said, her anger morphing into shock.

He shrugged. "Are you kidding, no offence, but you reek of it! I'm surprised you can't smell it, am I right guys?" He asked, turning to look at Chance who nodded, but Jake was beginning to have a worried frown on his face.

Cassie glared at him then whipped around at a slight scratching sound. "Did you hear that?" She asked sharply and all but Eric, nodded.

He frowned. "Hear what?" He asked in confusion.

Starting to panic, Cassie demanded, "What's going on?" She could hear a rumbling in her chest, then suddenly she and Eric were doubling over in discomfort.

"I think I'm going to be sick," Cassie muttered, turning pale.

Concerned, Callie, Chance, and Jake gently pushed the pair to the floor so they could sit and watched them worriedly. As time past, both humans got sicker and sicker. Suddenly the pair began screaming and thrashing about on the floor in severe pain.

The three couldn't hold onto them without accidentally hurting them more so they sat back and watched helplessly.

"What's happening to them?" Callie asked, worriedly.

"I don't know...wow! Great Kats! They're changing!" Chance shouted.

Before their eyes the poor humans were altering. Fur began to appear over their limbs and face, their clothes ripped as their bodies widened, their faces began to alter to a cat and their ears vanished from the side of their head and began to appear at the top. The change took several minutes and was extremely painful. When it finally stopped, the pair looked like Kats. There bodies twitched for minutes more as the lay there stunned.

The pain had finally stopped and Eric slowly pushed himself to a seated position. He helped Cassie do the same. His arm that he'd used to help her didn't look like his anymore. He gaped at Cassie as she did the same to him.

Eric stared at a human version of a Siamese cat, with a dark mask on her face, dark ears, hands, and tail. Tail!! His mind boggled at the sight of it.

Cassie was having the same problem as she stared at Eric who looked like a cat version of a white tiger.

They both patted their faces and felt the whiskers, long canines in their mouths, and long ears on the top of their heads and behind each was a tail. It was almost too much to take in.

Looking up at Callie whose mouth was open wide enough a cue ball could fit in it, Cassie demanded, "I know you've got a mirror on you somewhere, let me see it...quick!"

Shaking herself the blond she-kat quickly searched her purse and came up with her compact that she handed over to the former human. Trembling, Cassie opened the compact and looked at her image. She moaned when she saw her Siamese image topped with long black hair. Her eyes's pulipals had reshaped themselves but still held their aqua blue. She reached up to touch her ears that were on top of her head and traced her new cat image as if in a dream.

'Oh God! This just couldn't be happening to us!' She thought in horror, looking up at Eric again and seeing a cat instead of the human she remembered. Dropping the mirror, she dropped her face into her hands.

Eric took the dropped compact and began to study his new features.

After a long silence, Cassie raised her head, tears falling from her eyes, she asked plaintively, "What did he do to us?"

**TO EAVERYONE OUT THERE THANK YOU FOR READING THIS SO FAR AND PLEASE SEND ME YOUR REVIEWS AND I'D LIKE TO THANK BETA READER ULYFERAL FOR HER HELP AND I RECOMEND HER FOR EVERYONE WHO NEEDS HELP WITHG THEIR STORIES**


	3. Frail Hope

Chance, Jake and Callie stared at Erik and Cassie as Erik comforted her unable to think of an answer to her question. They were still in shock over the transformation.

"Maybe its reversible!" Callie offered, hesitantly. They turned to look at her questioningly.

"What?" Cassie asked, dropping her paws from her face. Erik looked hopeful.

"Dr. Lynx just arrived at Megakat Biochemical Labs today. He's an expert in genetics and maybe it's possible he could find a way to reverse what Dark Kat's did to you." She suggested.

"Are you sure he can help us?" Erik asked.

"If he can't there's no one I know that can." Callie said positively, folding her arms.

"Then let's go right now." Erik demanded, as he and Cassie got to their feet.

"Ok, but first…" Chance said going to the closet and pulling out a pair of long coats, hats and a few other things.

"You'll need these," He said, offering them to Cassie and Erik.

They looked at the torn remains of their clothes then at Chance. "We admit we need new clothes but isn't the sunglasses and scarf's a little much?" Erik asked.

"But without them people will notice you're different," Chance said, embarrassed, Jake's head fell into his paw.

"Ah, Chance take a real good look at us. I don't think people will notice we're from a different dimension now, so just give me a pair of jeans and a T-shirt and I'll be happy," Cassie said with an amused look, patting his cheek while Callie laughed quietly behind her paw.

Ten minutes later in Callie's car (after Jake and Chance had changed out of their coveralls and Erik and Cassie put on some borrowed clothes) they drove to the labs.

On the drive over, Erik and Cassie gaped at everything they saw. Callie noticed and smiled.

"What do you think?" She asked, seeing their expressions in the rearview mirror as they stopped at a red light.

"It's like home… almost," Erik, said watching people coming and going from a restaurant called The Jumping Salmon.

Callie nodded and drove on as the light turned green. "Yeah this is one of the better days with no super villain attacking. Just Kats going about their daily lives," She said as she pulled into the parking lot of a large brick building.

Using Callie's authority as Deputy Mayor, they gained access to enter the building. Callie led them and they were soon walking down a hallway full of doors. She stopped at one that said, 'DOCTOR JOSHUA LYNX', painted on the glass.

Callie knocked on it while the others waited and a voice answered, "Come in." She opened the door and they trooped in.

Erik and Cassie's eyes wandered over the many work areas filled with laboratory gear. Erik paused to look at the contents of a beaker while the others walked up to a light gray Kat with excessively over grown whiskers in a lab coat who was standing near a microscope he must have been working with.

"Why Deputy Mayor Briggs to what do I owe the pleasure and who are they?" The tom asked affably.

"Dr Lynx this is Chance Furlong, Jake Clawson, Erik Slater and Cassie Morioka," She introduced them, pointing to each in turn as Erik and Cassie walked closer trying to keep their new tails still so as not to knock anything over.

"Nice to meet you all. So what can I do for you?" He asked after shaking everyone's paws.

"Well first you have to swear that everything you hear from us will not leave the confines of this room." Callie said seriously, her manner grave.

"Why?" Dr. Lynx asked.

"Because if you do I make it my life's work to see that you never work on another chemistry set let alone a lab." Callie answered with a straight face, showing she meant business and her threat was not a joke.

He stared at her in shock. Ms. Briggs was not given to threatening people unless there was a very good reason. "You have my word, Ms. Briggs." He said gravely. Callie nodded her thanks.

"Wow! Remind me never to get on her bad side, Jake!" Chance muttered. His friend nodded in shock himself.

"So what do you need from me?" Dr Lynx asked again.

Callie waved her hand at Erik and Cassie. "We need you to give these two Kats a complete physical and genetic exam." She explained.

Confused, Dr Lynx scratched his head. "Uh, I'm not a general practitioner you know. Why don't you take them to one instead of coming to me?" He asked.

"Because what's happened to them is not natural and must be kept a secret. Dark Kat pulled two creatures from another dimension then altered them to look like our species. We need you to see if you can return them to their former selves. There species is smooth skinned, possess no tails, fangs, or fur of any kind except for hair on their heads." Callie explained. Dr. Lynx just goggled at her in disbelief.

"But…" He started to say then snapped his mouth shut walked up to them to study them more closely.

After looking them over, he snorted and looked around. "This a joke right! I'm on Kat World, right?"

"No you're not and this is definitely not a joke. We three are witness to the mutation. It was very painful. We also saw them for what they really are before they altered." Chance said solemnly.

"Eric, Cassie why don't you explain exactly what happened to the good doctor," Jake said folding his arms.

For the next fifteen minutes, Eric and Cassie told their story while Dr Lynx tried to keep an open mind. When they finished, he ran his fingers through his whiskers. "That's quite a story but ....." He started to say, still not believing this and reluctant to waste his time despite the Deputy Mayor's threat.

"Look doc! Erik and I have been through a very long night and day and suffered significant trauma, so why don't you just humor us and test our blood, ok?" Cassie growled in impatience, swishing her tail in annoyance.

Dr Lynx looked from face to face then threw his arms up. "Ok, fine I'll do it just to get you out of here." He said exasperated.

He went to a cabinet and pulled out what he needed then drew blood from Erik and Cassie. They waited not to patiently as Dr. Lynx ran tests on their blood and studied it under the microscope. He was seen repeating some of the tests before finally stopping and staring over his shoulder at the two.

"Great Kats above!" He said shaking his head, still finding it hard to believe what his eyes were telling him. He didn't say anything to them as he went to the vials of blood and took them to another machine and slid them in, then pushing a button. The machine hummed to life and he waited. No one said a word then a printer nearby began to chatter. He went to it and snatched the sheet off it, reading the information quickly. His eyes shot up and he stared at them his mouth open in shock.

"Their blood is a weird hodge podge of Kat genes and some unknown genes that I've never seen before plus its laced with several kinds of Katalysts, some quite dangerous and others I can't identify mixed in it." He said, shaking his head.

"Is it reversible?" Erik asked, anxiously, stepping forward.

Dr. Lynx looked at him and sighed, shrugging his shoulders. "I don't know. I'll have to run some more tests. I have to separate all the elements before I can find your original baseline." He explained.

Erik and Cassie looked at each other anxiously. Jake and Chance came up behind them and put comforting paws on their shoulders.

Dr. Lynx sighed and rubbed his face. This was a fascinating case but..... "Look there's nothing more I can do today and the tests I have to run will all take awhile. I also need to do the complete physical Ms. Briggs asked for and you need to fast for some of the other tests." He explained.

"How long will all this take?" Cassie asked, hesitantly..

"Well, the physicals and other things will only take a few hours but then the work I have to do to separate the elements and gene structure will take almost a year to do despite our state of the art equipment. It's very complicated and can't be rushed." He said, sympathetic to their plight now that he realized they had been telling the truth. .

Erik and Cassie nearly fainted as it was their knees went weak and they sank onto two stools sitting nearby.

Dr. Lynx stared at them a long moment then said gently, "I will do my best but it still may not be enough to fix things. You could well be altered permanently."

There was a long moment of silence as they absorbed this sobering news. Chance was the first to speak up.

"Thanks doc. We appreciate you doing this." He thanked the doctor who nodded. "Come on you two, let's get out of here! Some of these things in here are giving me the creeps." Erik and Cassie could only nod numbly, getting to their feet and following their new friends from the doctor's lab.

Behind them, Callie had paused and looked at Dr. Lynx grimly. "In an hour, I will send some important documents for you to sign. It will come by special courier and will be treated with the utmost security by you. You will sign the documents that state you will keep what you have learned today and all subsequent information on Erik and Cassie in strictest confidence, releasing this to no one but me. To do so will be cause to you to be prosecuted to the full extent of the laws! Do you understand me?"

"Yes, Ms. Briggs, I understand perfectly." Dr. Lynx said solemnly.

Callie nodded then turned and followed the others.

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	4. Deepening Friendships

Back out in the sun light Erik, not sure if they should feel hopeful or more depressed, fought the urge to hide from the Kat people around him. He looked at Cassie, Chance, Jake, and Callie as they joined him.

As Erik and Cassie looked around them Callie, Chance, and Jake looked at each other know what was going through their friends minds. "I guess we have to figure out where the two of you will be staying. Though may I suggest that you stay at the garage because I don't think that the three of us could live in my apartment," Callie said and the others nodded.

"Yeah we have a couple spare rooms that they could stay in," Jake said.

Chance looked from him to Cassie then clapped his paws together. "We'll now that done with back to the garage?" he said looking from one face to the other.

Jake looked from him to Cassie then clapped his paws together. "We'll not that done with back to the garage?" he said looking from one face to the other.

Erik thought for a moment and shook his head. "No I need to be alone," he said and turned and started to walk away.

After walking a few steps a paw lightly fell on his shoulder and he turned to see Chance. "Mind if I join you? After all you don't know Megakat City," he said.

Erik knew he had him trapped. "Fine, but do you know where a guy or a Kat could get a drink?" he asked as they walked off together.

Cassie and the others watched them go and Callie put a paw on her shoulder. "Don't worry about them Chance will take care of him besides he can look after himself," she said trying to reassure her.

Cassie nodded. "I know that but that's not what worries me," she said.

"Then what does?" Jake asked behind her.

"It's Erik he's been acting like this ever since the NAVY shafted him and blacklisted him. He's been acting like a broken man a mere shadow of who he used to be not wanting help from anyone...not even me," she muttered her gaze dropping.

"Then being a Tiger suits him," Jake said.

Cassie turned to look at Jake. "What?" she asked.

Jake smiled as the group turned and walked away. "Tigers are usually Kats that keep to themselves most of the time. But they are strong and determined in whatever they do but hurt they prefer to be alone. However when they make a friend their friends for life," he said and Cassie nodded.

'That's Erik' she thought.

"What else happened to him?" and Cassie looked at Jake.

"Before you met Callie, Erik beat Chance up. He told us that he came to your parents place with a black eye and asked your father to teach him how to fight. Who gave him the black eye?" Jake said and Callie looked at her.

Cassie looked away. "His father was a drunken bastard and used to beat him and his mother bloody. Especially when Erik would defend his mother and he would come to my home marked by the beatings. Then one day his father finally beat his mother to death then was sentenced to life in prison.

My parents fought tooth and nail to get him to be their foster son and when they won boy did we have a party. From then on he was like a member of the family," Cassie said.

Callie nodded. "And when did you two start going out?" she asked and Cassie looked at her.

She smiled. "Is it that obvious?" she asked and Callie nodded.

"Not long after he took me to the Prom we started going out and when my father found out...I thought he would blow a gasket but he just chuckled and said 'at least I know him to be a honorable man,'" Cassie and looked at a family of Kats with a small kitten in a stroller.

Seeing the mix feeling look in her face of wonder, unfamiliararity, sadness, and longing Callie cleared her throat. "Look since you and Erik are going to t be here for…," she started.

"Callie!" called a Kat who came out of a store and was climbing onto a motorcycle.

Callie looked at the Kat and smiled. "Hi Felina," she said and Felina climbed off her bike.

The two embraced then Felina looked at Cassie then back at Callie who waved her paw at Cassie. "Felina this is Cassie a friend of mine from out of town Cassie this is Lt. Felina Feral one of the best pilots in the Enforcers, speaking of which I didn't know that this was your day off," she said and Cassie and Felina shook paws as Callie crossed her arms.

"You know me Callie I'd rather be in a flight suit but my uncle made me take the day off, so what are you doing and can I join you?" Felina said.

"Well we were just going to the mall because Cassie and her boyfriend just moved here for awhile but their things got lost in the mail, so we're doing some shopping. I welcome you to join us because I could use the help of a Tomkat," she said.

At this Felina chuckled and gave Callie a playful shove. "Well get us there and I'll show you Tomkat," she said as she slipped onto her bike and the others piled into Callie's car.

Meanwhile Chance and Erik made their way into a restaurant, which had a bar along the back wall, and round tables scattered about. Kats were either seated at tables or at the bar ordering drinks.

'Something's never change' Erik thought as the pair sat at the bar.

"What'd yeah have?" asked the Kat behind the bar.

"Whiskey," Erik muttered and the Kat stared at him.

"What's that?" he asked.

Erik rubbed his eyes. "Okay how about a beer? Or a coke? Do you at least have a can of coke?" Erik demanded.

The bartender looked at him then put a shot glass down and poured milk into it. "We have that," he said then walked away.

Erik picked up the shot glass looking at it. "I should have known," he muttered and downed the milk.

After his fifth shot Chance put his paw on his shoulder. "Erik I think that's enough," he muttered.

Erik watched as the bartender poured his sixth. "Why? The only danger I face is either gaining weight or over strong bones," he muttered back and drank the latest one down.

"That maybe in your world but its not that way here. Why else would we serve it in a bar?" Chance said waving the bartender away.

Erik glared at him. "You and Cassie would get along," he growled.

"Why are you doing this to yourself Erik?" Chance asked and Erik glared at him the adverted his gaze.

Chance was silent for a moment. "Come on Erik that's enough we'd better go," he said standing up.

"Chance…" Erik started.

"Erik I'm not paying for any more and just because you beat me earlier does not mean it will happen again," Chance said and Erik looked at him and after a few moments the two got to their feet and left the bar.

"Were you really going to fight me?" Erik asked when they were back on the street.

Chance chuckled. "Tooth and claw," he said and Erik cocked the first smile since they had been kidnapped.

A few hours after the got back to the Garage Cassie and Callie arrived with another She-Kat with Jake in tow arms full of shopping bags blocking his vision. After Jake nearly walked into several objects, Erik and Chance went to help him inside. As they put the bags in the upper living quarters, Erik was introduced to Felina.  
As the two shook hands, she looked him over. "Hmmm this one is cute Cassie if you and he weren't going out I'd try to get him myself," she muttered and Erik gave a cough and Jake's face-hardened.  
Callie who was sitting on the sofa leaned forward after a few minutes. "You know you and Cassie were hardly given a proper arrival. So I think that tonight we would give you two a welcome you well deserve," she said and the next thing Cassie and Erik knew they were forced into finer clothes.  
Soon after they were ready, they left the garage and Callie took the lot of them to a fancy restaurant. Erik and Cassie relieved as they were that most of the same food were available the menu and despite himself Erik laughed and joked with the others. After Cassie and Erik got back to the garage with Chance and Jake, Erik went up to the roof and watched the stars.  
For almost an hour, he leaned against the low wall of the roof looking at the stars. "What are you looking at?" he asked  
"The eyes at the back of your head," Cassie's voice answered behind him.  
"Your father gave me those eyes," Erik said.  
"Just as he gave them to me, after all he taught us well," she said walking up to stand next to him.  
"It's so strange we both know this is a different world and yet it has the same stars," she muttered.  
Erik lowered his eyes. "Is that an attempt to convince me to stay here in this dimension?" he asked.  
She didn't look at him. "Erik we may not have a choice, you heard the doc he may not be able to cure us," she said.  
He grasped the low wall with his paws. "So you would have me give up hope?" he demanded and turned his back to the wall and leaned against it.  
"No I'm just saying what needs to be said Erik. We may not have a choice but to live the rest of your lives here which may not be so bad. Both of us blacklisted by the Navy…" she started.  
Erik's head whipped to look at her. "What! I thought it was just me?" he demanded.  
Cassie finally lowered her eyes from the stars. "When I turned in my wings he… he said that if I officially turned in my wings I'd never sit in the cockpit of a plane again. But I didn't care I first punched him in mid sentence then with him sprawled on the ground toss my wings on his chest," she said and Erik smiled and turned away.  
"As I was saying both us would be lucky to get jobs as dishwashers. But that's not for us we're combat pilots we belong in the air not cemented to the ground. Here we have the chance to start with quite literally a clean slate," she said and looked at him.  
As she spoke Erik's frown returned. "Cassie this is not our home and we don't belong here this is not our Earth, we belong on our Earth," he said and started to walk away then stopped.  
"Cassie… I keep… I keep thinking back… if I had just… juts listened…," he stammered then stopped and a moment later, he felt her arms wrap around him from behind as well as the side of her face on his back.  
"Erik it wasn't your fault you were in the right or CO was a pig headed glory hog it was his fault not yours. You were just his scapegoat for his mistake… it wasn't your fault… it wasn't your fault," she muttered and the two sank to their knees and Erik cried.  
Below them in the underground hanger, Jake looked over the Turbokat for any flaws in the frame while Chance checked their equipment. "You know it's going to be harder for us with Erik and Cassie here," Jake said as he finished.  
Chance nodded. "Maybe we should tell them, they have a right to know," he said laying down a Glovetrix.  
Jake looked at him. "Could they keep the fact that we're the SWAT Kats a secret?" he asked.  
Chance returned his gaze. "We may not have a choice Sureshot," he answered and they climbed the ladder out switching off the lights.


	5. A Lost Soul

Almost a week later, Erik was sitting on Chance and Jake's sofa watching a talk show. The host was reading from a paper in his paw saying, "Jason you are the father!" The male darted off the stage.

Behind him, Cassie leaned against the sofa. "Some things never change. So how many this time?" She asked in a boring tone.

"Fifteen," Erik answered, equally bored.

Cassie gave a low whistle then frowned looking him. "In the same litter?" She demanded. He just nodded then suddenly both their stomachs rumbled with hunger.

She gave a low whistle then clutched her lower abdomen. "I'm suddenly very worried and beginning to understand," she muttered worried of the prospect of having that many kids at once.  
Erik didn't hear her as he continued to watched the show. On the screen a she-kat bombarded the tom with shouts as she cornered him. Erik shook his head before a soft object slammed into his face, letting a puff of air escape his lips then looked back over his shoulder at Cassie and was surprised to see her holding the weapon in question (a Pillow) in her hand.

"Get off your lazy ass and do something after all my father taught you more than just how to fight!" She barked at him to get him out of his broody mood then walked away.

He blinked watching her leave the room before glancing back at the TV for a moment then turning it off.

Meanwhile in the garage downstairs, Chance was concentrating on the engine he was repairing, his head under the hood. He was just tightening a bolt when oil squirted onto his coveralls. He gave a moan of frustration then turned as he heard laughter.

"And what is so funny Erik!" He demanded.

Erik raised his paws in a warding off gesture. "Nothing man, nothing," he said innocently, a hint of laughter still in his voice as he moved forward to stand by the tabby.

Chance watched him examine the engine then reached in and after picking up a socket wrench, tightened a valve. "There's your problem, you forgot to close the oil valve," he told the tom.

Chance blinked in surprise. The two stared at each other for a second then Chance smiled. "Let me guess Cassie's father?"

Erik shrugged, grinning. "He owned a garage and it was my first summer job. Right now I'm bored as hell and desperately need something to do so just give me a pair of coveralls."

Chance looked pleased as he pointed to a corner of the garage. "Over there are the coveralls. Thanks, with Jake out at the grocery store, I could use the help."

Erik nodded then walked over where Chance had indicated he'd find the coveralls. Soon Erik was on a floor crawler working under one car while Chance worked on another close by him.

"So how's the fast going?" he asked Erik from under the hood.

"Well I'm starving and my stomach growls every ten seconds how do you think it's going?" Erik grunted, finishing up installing the new brake pads.

Chance nodded understandingly as he closed the car hood. "Well, by this time tomorrow you'll be eating like a king," he said wiping his paws on a rag.

Sighing, Erik pulled himself out from under the car. "True, but with all these tests that Lynx guy is doing on us sometimes I wonder if I've been turned into a guinea pig," he said sitting up. Chance could only laugh.

Over the next few hours the two talked over various subjects from movies to books that were the same but at the same time different, finding the similarities fascinating.

"….and I still can't believe they have a Clint Eastwood and Chuck Norris here only its Clint Scratchwood and Chuck Roarris," Erik said, shaking his head as he closed another hood and turned to catch a can of milk that Chance had tossed to him.

"I don't see what you find so amusing. I find Eastwood and Norris funny names," Chance said as they opened the cans.

"Yeah but who would want to see a movie called Dirty Hairball," Erik snorted taking a drink. then remembered where he was and what Chance was. "On second thought never mind," he said, drinking his milk as Chance chuckled before downing his own drink.

Jake returned from shopping to find Erik and Chance hard at work in the garage. "Well, this is a nice surprise. Usually Chance is slumped on the couch watching Scaredy Kat." He passed by them and headed upstairs to put the groceries away.

Erik smiled remembering the cartoon show. "Personally I prefer Tom and Jerry myself," he said wiping his paws on a rag.

"Who wants to watch a cartoon about a cat that mainly chases after a mouse?" Chance snorted, letting out a puff of laughter.

Erik arched an eyebrow as he started slipping out of his coveralls. "And what about a show where all a cat does is get blown up?"

At once Chance jabbed a clawed finger at Erik. "Hey don't mess with Scardy Kat," he warned.  
Erik smiled and leaned forward slightly. "Then don't diss Tom and Jerry," he said and went to hang up his coveralls.

"So, Chance, when are you going to ask Callie out on a date?" Erik asked silkily, hearing Chance stumble behind him. A small smile pulled at his mouth.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Chance blurted defensively.

Erik laughed a little and patted him on the back when they reached the top. "Come on every time she comes within a hundred feet of you, you get a serious case of the goo-goo eyes," Erik said as and Jake and Cassie came out of the kitchen.

As Jake and Cassie shared a private nod of agreement Chance looked at Erik with a small smile on his face. "Maybe I will, when you tell us why you were thrown out of the NAVY," Chance said.  
At once the apartment went dead silent as Erik's face hardened. He slowly took a step closer to Chance and Cassie tensed wondering if Erik was going to deck him. With a jerk Erik whipped around and stalked back down the stairs and a moment later Jake and Chance heard the roar of an engine.

Cassie darted after him after giving Chance a look colder than ice before she darted out of sight and a moment later a second engine roared to life.

"Smooth Kat, real smooth," Jake said stepping forward then they whipped around as the communicator in Chance's pocket went off.

"Can we talk about this later. Right now we got to go to work," Chance said and they darted down stairs.

Erik drove his motorcycle aimlessly down a street, his mind trying to repress thoughts of the past. Suddenly the roar of a jet overhead made him raise his head and stare. There racing across the sky was a red, blue and black sleek looking, three engine jet fighter heading toward the heart of the city.

Erik pulled the bike to a skidding halt and raised the visor of his helmet to watch the jet cross the sky. "Good luck SWAT Kats whoever you are, good luck." He said to himself.

As the jet disappeared from view, another engine this one quieter and more familiar came up to his side. Cassie paused her bike next to him. He stared at her tinted visor before she raised it.

After a few seconds she muttered, "You can't keep running away." He looked away. "Besides I know the perfect way for you to blow off some steam." He gave her a questioning stare.

"Lead the way," he said after a seconds of thought.

She smiled, revved her engine then lowered her visor. He did the same and soon they were racing back to the garage.

**PLEASE REVIEW**


	6. We Need to Talk

T-Bone quickly put the Turbokat into a spin as a giant version Madkat threw equally giant playing cards at them. "Come on, Sureshot, give me a target!" He shouted into his radio, as he narrowly dodged a king card.

"Roger! Missiles locked on! Deployed!" Razor barked behind him.

T-Bone rolled the jet away as the missiles sliced through the air and the noses detached revealing razor sharp claws. After getting behind Madkat, the pilot flipped the Turbokat in a 180 in time to see the missiles slice off two of the jester's bells on his hat. After climbing above the creep's head, he spun the jet around until they were upside down.

Pulling up on the yoke until the last of the bells was in his sights, he called out, "he shoots..." firing his laser. Madkat turned to face them just in time to get the last bell cut off. "...he scores," T-Bone finished, cheering over Madkat's final scream of 'nooo' as he vanished into the box which fell to the ground below.

A slightly stunned Ringtail, got to his feet quickly, snatched the Jack-in-the-box into his paws then turned to run off only to skid to a halt when T-Bone and Razor appeared before him, the Turbokat hovering above.

"LIGHTS OUT!" T-Bone shouted gleefully as he and his partner sent a fist into the fool's face, knocking him out.

While they were tying Ringtail up, the Mayor and Callie ran up to their side.

"Well done SWAT Kats! You stopped Madkat!" Mayor Manx declared, puffing from his run.

The sound of choppers landing made them look down the street. One chopper landed just thirty feet from them, its side mangled. It screeched as it was forced open by Feral, who had a look of disgust at seeing his chopper a mess. He turned away and began to stride toward them. Behind his chopper, another landed and the lithe form of Lt. Feral jumped out and hurried to catch up with her uncle.

Knowing it was time for them to leave, T-Bone flashed his signature grin at Callie, saying, "All in a day's work Mayor Manx."

Razor had signaled the Turbokat to land and, T-Bone, after giving a wink to Callie and receiving a wave from Felina, ran after his partner who was nearly to the jet. The two leaped aboard and before Feral could even shout, T-Bone had the Turbokat rising in the air and then zooming off across the sky away from the scene.

"Erik was right, you do get the Goo-Goo eyes whenever she's around," Razor observed.

In answer, T-Bone sent the jet into a controlled spin making his partner yell in alarm. When they were flying normally again, Razor muttered, "touchy."

Ignoring the comment, T-Bone said, "Hey, how about a quick patrol before returning to base?"

"Sounds good to me. After all, how much trouble could those two get into," Razor agreed as T-Bone banked the jet to the right.

Back at the garage…

On the hood of one of the cars in the yard, Erik blocked a flying spin kick from Cassie then spun around and kicked out at her which she blocked with both arms.

She struck out with a series of punches that Erik blocked and countered until their arms were nearly a blur while at the same time they each threw a round house kick to the chest that both blocked.

Spinning around with the block, Erik threw a spin kick then ducked as Cassie threw one herself. As he ducked, he dropped down and tried to sweep her legs out from under her but she leapt up and back flipped onto the edge of the hood of a car then before she slipped she leapt up and flipped like an acrobat on to the top of the car.

Erik stared up at her and huffed a little air. "Where did that come from?" He demanded.

"I guess sometimes it pays to have a tail," she said as her tail swished back and forth.

Erik laughed a little at that then hopped onto the bumper of the car she was on, flipped up and over her to landed lightly behind her. "I guess so," he agreed with a grin.

Snorting, she turned swiftly to face him forcing Erik to duck another spin kick then leapt up throwing kicks at her which she blocked efficiently taking several steps back onto another car top. She then rolled under a spin kick from him. He turned to face her and front kicked out at her which she blocked then parried a few more kicks that he threw with his leg still raised.

She caught a side kick that he threw to her chest and twisting it sent him spinning off the cars and twisting to land crouched low, one leg behind him and one paw. "And I guess having a spine that rotates about a hundred and eighty degrees doesn't hurt either," he muttered with a smile as she flipped down beside him.

The sparring match went from one section of the yard to the other. The fight was fierce with practically lightning attacks and defenses neither willing to be the one to stop first. Near a giant billboard at one end of the yard, Cassie fired a flying turn side kick, jumping him back toward the sign.

Twisting around so his back was to it, he felt his claws extend in his feet and paws then sink into the sign holding him in place.

He and Cassie looked at each other in shock. "Just call me Spider-Man," he laughed weakly.

"Well two can play at that game," she said. Taking a step back, she launched herself after him.

In response he shifted his grip launched himself up in an arch so that he was hanging upside down, her narrowly missing his feet. He looked down at her as she looked up at him and grinned. The fight continued on the sign for a little bit when suddenly they heard a jet engine coming really close to them.

"THAT JETS PRETTY LOW!" Erik shouted, concerned, then found his perch was moving.

"WHAT THE HELL!" Cassie yelled as the sign tilted back, nearly knocking them both off but they managed to cling with their claws as they stared down at a tunnel that had appeared beneath them.

"LOOK OUT!" Erik shouted, pulling his legs up and seeing that Cassie had done the same as they both saw the big black jet roaring into the tunnel just missing them.

They were deafened by the mix of the engine's roar and the screeching tires as the jet landed smoothly and rolled out of sight. The slipstream from the jet's passing sent the two of them flying off the sign to roll across the ground. They had their paws over their ears but still they rang and it took several minutes before the pain finally ebbed away. The climbed slowly to their feet and stared down the tunnel.

"Since when… do they… land jets… in a tunnel… let alone… a salvage yard?" Erik managed to pant out.

"What?" Cassie shouted, unable to hear him.

Erik pointed to himself then at Cassie then down the tunnel. She looked down into the gloom and nodded her understanding. Suddenly the sign began to lift back up and the tunnel entrance to close making them hurry before they were shut out.

~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~

"Razor, I gotta say, that sign idea was a great one," T-Bone said as he and Razor leapt out of the cockpit.

"Thanks. Ever since the Metallikats broke in that time last year, I thought it prudent to increase our security more. We can't have the enforcers finding us that easily," Razor said as he turned to study the jet for dings.

Suddenly, their security alarm went off.

"Something's tripped the sensors in the tunnel!" Razor snarled, raising his glovatrix and heading for the stairs that lead down to the tunnel opening.

"I'll turn off the lights! We'll jump them before they can get up here," T-Bone hissed, moving to a wall nearby and flicking the lights of the hangar off. Then he hurried toward the stairs to join his partner, finding it easily despite the dark, as he knew the layout of their hangar intimately.

~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~

Still moving slowly down the steep dark tunnel lit by only runway lights, Erik and Cassie walked unsteadily down the steep floor. It was a long way down to wherever the jet had gone and it took them some fifteen minutes to finally reach the bottom.

Stepping onto the concrete floor, the huge space was lit by glowing security lights nearest a huge pillar rising from the floor and a distant stairwell on the far side. They stopped and looked around in confusion.

"How could a jet just vanish?" Cassie asked softly, her voice echoing.

I doubt it vanished, but I'll be danged if I know where it went...up maybe?" He wondered as he looked up the huge pillar.

Cassie shrugged her shoulders. "Maybe we should just go up those stairs and see what's up there."

Before they could take more than a few steps the few lights that had been on here were shut off, plunging the area into darkness.

"I don't think we're alone," Erik hissed softly to Cassie.

"Oh and what was your first clue?" She hissed back, sarcastically.

The two took a back to back position and waited tensely for whoever had turned out the lights. Erik's ears flicked when he caught the faintest of noises coming from in front of him. He tensed, raising his arms in a defensive posture, feeling Cassie do the same behind him.

There was a swish of air and he barely had time to duck and shout, "duck, Cassie" as he blocked the blow coming at him, managing to throw his opponent away from him.

He heard the person jump to their feet and charge forward. Soon he was defending himself, fiercely. Every move he made was blocked by the other person. He finally got the upper paw when he leapt in the air and spun his leg around, nailing the attacker in the head. He landed lightly on his feet and listened hard.

He could hear Cassie fighting someone else not far away from him. His momentary inattention won him a clip to the head from something that had been thrown at him and left him reeling with pain. The person who'd thrown it was now charging him again.

Despite his ringing head, Erik stepped to the side in time and managed to wrap his arm around the others neck, swiftly putting the attacker in a head lock before he could react. That brief moment let him realize the person was big and powerfully built. Unfortunately, before he could make it a choke hold, the person grabbed his arm so his fingers just scraped his attacker's face. He felt something soft come off in his fingers before he was being thrown over his attacker's shoulder and flying through the darkness, landing on his back with a whoof of displaced air.

Before his attacker could pounce on him, he kicked out catching him or her in the chest sending the person back with a grunt. He quickly curled upward and leapt to his feet.

He spun around hands up ready for a fight when the lights came back on. For a second he was blinded but when his eyes cleared, his eyes went wide and his jaw dropped.

"Chance!" he gasped.

Chance dressed in a black, red, and blue flight suit stared back at him in equal shock. "Erik?"

A grunt of pain made the two of them turn to see a slim built Kat in the same outfit as Chance but with a mask on, being held down by Cassie who had his arm in a lock.

Cassie stared in shock at Chance then down at her own prisoner who could only be Jake. She quickly released him. He groaned and got to his feet quickly, rubbing his arm and eyeing her with respect.

Erik slowly looked back at Chance then at the piece of cloth he had pulled away, realizing after a second that it was a mask like Jake's. Holding the mask out to the big tabby, he said, "I think we need to talk."

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	7. The Wild Blue Yonder

As soon as Jake and Chance had changed out of their flight suits and into their normal clothing, the four left the hangar and headed up to the garage waitin room.

Jake and Chance dropped onto the couch while Erik and Cassie chose to lean against a nearby wall, arms crossed over their chests as they listened to the tale Chance had begun down in the hangar.

"…so after our first run in with Dark Kat then having Feral hit the jet causing us to ditch it, which allowed it to crash into the newly built Enforcer flightline, he booted us out and forced us to pay for the repairs by making us work and live here. The amount owed is guaranteed to keep us here until we die," he growled.

"We were mad but then Jake got this crazy idea to get us back into the crime fighting game. He suggested we become vigilantes and with all the salvage around us, build a jet and weapons then go kick some major tail. So that's how we became the SWAT Kats," he said proudly.

Cassie glanced at Erik who had a hard look on his face, ears flattened a little on his head. "Sounds familiar," she muttered, feeling her tail swish in time with her mood.

His eyes swivelled to look at her. "Too familiar," he muttered in the same undertone, his own tail batted the wall.

Turning back to the guys and pushing off the wall, he demanded, "Why didn't you tell us?"

Jake shrugged, getting to his feet. "Force of habit, I guess plus how many shocks could you have handled that day?" he asked. "First, you were kidnapped then saved by us; secondly, you discovered you were trapped on a world of kats; and, third, you were turned into Kats yourselves. Oh and just to make things really interesting, you end up being forced to stay with a couple of grease monkeys who happened to be secret crime fighters in their spare time." Jake spread his paws and grinned at them.

"Well, when you put it that way..." Cassie sighed, pushing off the wall herself.

"You do have a point," Erik agreed, putting his paws on his hips. He was about to say more when a car horn blatting, interrupted them.

Chance got up and looked out the window. He sighed and looked back at them. "Looks like we have a lot of work to do right now. We promise we'll talk more about this later"

Cassie and Erik gave each other a quick glance then turned back to Chance, nodding their heads. They trooped out into the garage and bean to work.

~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~

Calico Briggs was hard at work at her desk, the Mayor was out golfing as usual and she was using the time to try and catch up on her own work before he came back to add to it. She frowned in concentration as she worked on a speech for Manx.

"…and so it is my greatest pleasure to christen this ship…" she read aloud then her phone rang. Giving a groan of annoyance at having her chain of thought interrupted, she reached for the offending device's receiver and put it to her ear. "Deputy Mayor Briggs."

"Callie?" A familiar voice sang out.

At once her mood lightened and she sank back into her chair, a smile on her pretty face. "Hey Felina, to what do I owe the honor?" she said warmly.

"I was wondering if you'd like to go to lunch with me, my break starts soon?" Felina asked. Callie checked her watch and noted it was going on noon. "Lunch sounds wonderful, I'll pick you up, in ten minutes," she said.

"See you soon," Felina said then hanging up.

Callie smiled happily, reached into her lower desk drawer for her purse, saving the unfinished speech on her computer before shuting it down and standing up and leaving her office, pausing to inform her secretary she was going to lunch.

Minutes later, she was pulling up to the street entrance of Enforcer Headquarters. Drumming her fingers on the steering wheel to the music on the radio, she looked around for her friend. When she spotted Felina she honked her horn.

Felina smiled and headed her way. Callie could see the she-kat was wearing a pair of black jeans and a casually tucked in yellow and black t-shirt with black boots on her feet. The female Enforcer climbed in and they were off to a fancy restaurant, Callie favored. She let the valet park her car while she and Felina walked into the building. A maitre'd showed them to Callie's usual table.

"Well this is nice," Felina commented as a waiter handed them menus then left to allow them time to read it.

"Is it a little much?" Callie asked worried after glancing at her menu.

Felina waved it off. "Don't worry, it's nice to go places above my pay grade every now and then," she smirked.

Callie smiled and returned her attention to the menu.

The waiter returned and took their orders and when he left, Callie and Felina began talking and laughing about their day. When the waiter returned with their food the left again, Felina gave her friend a look as she picked up her knife and fork and began to cut her steak. "So how many times have you taken your care to that garage this week?"

Callie choked on her the sip of water she'd taken. "What?" she asked trying to sound innocent.

Felina gave her an amused look. "Come on Callie. I'm not oblivious, I know that special look in your eye. So, when are you going to just ask Chance out, and get it over with? I wouldn't be surprised if your car is ready to run up the white flag," she snorted, taking a bite of her steak.

Callie blushed and didn't answer at first, taking the time to eat a bite of her salad first. Then muttered, "It's complicated."

Felina eyed her friend shrewdly for a moment. "Let me guess, the complication would be tall, strong, has a thing for jets, and looks great in a mask?" she asked in a low undertone so no one would overhear.

Callie gave her friend a look of misery. "Is it that obvious?" she murmured.

Felina smiled, shaking her head at her friend.

That made Callie a bit mad as she growled, "And when are you going to stop playing the minx around Jake, and ask him out? You, who face what you do on a daily basis." Felina looked up at her, a blush hidden by her black fur. "Thought you'd just walk up and demand he go out with you, tomcat that you are," Callie retorted.

Felina was silent as she took another bit of her steak. "Guess we have the same reasons, just not the same persons," she remarked softly.

Callie felt vindicated and her good humor returned. Spearing some chicken with her fork she fired off a rhetorical question. "What is it about a Kat in a mask that gets females so worked up?" Felina just shrugged in response.

"Speaking of our vaunted pair of heroes, how is your uncle handling the SWAT Kats bringing down Ringtail, again?" Callie asked, curious.

"Hasn't stopped swearing since he got back to his office," Felina answered, deadpan. Then breaking into laughter with Callie joining in on the mirth.

~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~

Later that night at the salvage yard, after a longs days work in the garage and an even longer period of conversation over dinner, Erik lay awake on their bed long after Cassie had fallen asleep in the crook of his arm. He stared at the ceiling for some time before giving up the fight of trying to find sleep. Without waking Cassie, he slipped from the bed, pulled on a t-shirt over his bare furry, stripped chest and silently left the room. Unfortunately, he hadn't accounted for his tail which stayed behind in the door when he closed it.

He hissed softly in shocked pain, turning his head quickly to open the door again and pulling it free. Shutting the door quietly, he reached down and rubbed his tail to soothe the hurt. Stupid, he cursed himself.

Without turning on a light, he silently made his way through the apartment, down the stairs, through the garage, then down into the hangar. At the bottom of the ladder, he flicked the light switch on and stared across the hangar floor to the Turbokat beyond on its turntable.

After staring at it for some minutes, he walked down the steps and slowly crossed the floor till he was standing next to it. He raised his paw and ran his fingers along the frame feeling the old thrill bubbling up in his veins.

Looking upward, he stared at the cockpit, hesitating only a minute before making up his mind and leaping into it. Sitting in the pilot's seat, that old thrill roared through him as he slowly ran his fingers over all the controls before settling on the yoke. He stared through the windshield not seeing the hangar at all but the open skies beyond.

As if the seat was electrified, he leapt out of the cockpit and back to the floor again. Ears flat against his head, fangs and claws slightly bared, he kept his eyes on the jet. Then with a cry of fury, he whirled around and swept the contents of a table to the floor then flipped the table over.

Breathing hard, he glanced over his shoulder at the jet briefly before turned and leaving the hangar.

From the shadows, Jake and Chance stepped out into the hangar after Erik disappeared back upstairs.

"At least he didn't take his anger out on the Turbokat; you've put enough dings in it by accident as it is," Jake snorted.

"That wasn't anger, that was agony," Chance corrected him, ignoring the dig about the dings.

Jake gave him a questioning look.

"He's a combat pilot Jake, with something broken within him. He hears the call of the wild blue yonder… and can't answer it," Chance explained quietly. He stood silent a moment then seemed to come to a decision, going to a work bench and pickup a flashlight.

"And where are you going?"

"We, are going to find a jet engine," Chance growled, shoving another flashlight into Jake's chest.

**PLEASE REVIEW**


	8. Story of Pain and Loss

A couple weeks after Erik and Cassie found out the truth about Jake and Chance found them working alone in the garage. "It's been a week and we've hardly seen hide or fur of those two," Cassie said, closing the lid of the car she just finished working on.

"And as far as I know Callie hasn't called them out, now remind me again what Lynx has panned for us tomorrow?" Erik said, from under the car he was replacing the axle of.

"I think more blood tests," she said, whipping her paws on a rag.

"Great," Erik moaned as he pulled himself out from under the car.

After he was done and the owner drove off, he answered the call for a tow. Driving off alone in the tow truck. When he got back, he had a mega headache from the old woman's complaints. When they got back to the garage, he had hoped she would stop at the door but…

One of the longest hours later Erik came back into living room from the garage paws covering in his ears. "You ok Erik?" Cassie asked, from the sofa a can of milk in hand.

"Just the had a close encounter from the old lady from hell. First I didn't get there fast enough for her, then the repairs weren't fast enough, then weren't good enough. Oh why does she still have a license," he moaned just as he caught the can of milk Cassie tossed him from her seat on the sofa.

"I could say the same for a lot of little old ladies back on our earth," she said, as he popped the can and took a sip.

Pausing in midsip, he lowered the can as he looked at her. "So that's why you didn't come down to help me," he said, eyes narrowed.

Raising her paws in surrender, she said, "hey I could hear her all the way up here and she kind of scared me," and he chuckled.

"Well next time she's all yours," he said, and she moaned before drinking more milk.

"I see you met the little old lady that auto clubs run away from," Chance said, coming up the stairs with Jake.

Whipping around Erik barked, "Where the heck have you two been?" he demanded.

"Hey bro we've been busy," Chance said, raising his paws.

"Busy with what?" Cassie said, standing and walking over.

"With a surprise for the two of you that we just finished," Jake said a grin on his face.

Frowning Cassie and Erik looked at each other before looking back at their friends. In short, order Cassie and Erik followed the two Kats down into the darkened TurboKat hanger.

"Look guys the TurboKat is nice to look at and all but…"Erik started when he reached the bottom of the ladder and turned as Chance turned on the lights and his eyes went wide.

There standing next to the TurboKat was another jet. Like the TurboKat, it was black with red trimmings with pair of solid red tail rudders and white wing flaps. With proud looks on their faces, Jake and Chance walked over to stand just under the nose of the jet.

"We call her The ShadowKat; she's just as fast as the TurboKat with a top speed of Mach 10 and just as heavily armed. The main difference is that The ShadowKat has far superior stealth capabilities. Now if you want we can go over the specs if you like so you could join us in the skis if you want?" Jake said, waving his paw at the jet.

A smile spreading from ear to ear slowly grew on Cassie's face as she leapt up yelling, "hell yeah!"

"_NO_!"

At once, everyone looked at Erik who had a deep scowl on his face, his ears flat against his head, and fangs bared. "Erik…," Chance said.

"Take it apart! Scrap it! I don't care! But I won't have any part of it!" he shouted before turning and starting to walk away.

"Erik wait! We thought you of the two of you would want this," Chance said, going after him.

"Well I don't! Now drop it!" he snapped continuing on.

"Hey look man what is your problem! What happened to you that made you like this?" Chance demanded causing Erik to stop his paws balling into fists.

"Answer me Erik! Why are you so against this!" he demanded.

At once Erik whipped around screaming, "BECAUSE I GOT PEOPLE KILLED!" and everyone fell silent.

Erik stared hard at Chance for a second before shooting up the ladder and out of sight.

Chance started after him before Cassie said, "No let him go," and the two looked at her.

"Cassie I didn't mean…" Chance started but she waved it off.

"It's ok it's about time he either faced what happened and maybe you can help do that because I've tried everything. But before you do you'd better know what happened," she said, turning to face the ShadowKat.

She was silent for a moment as she collected her thoughts. "I guess I'll have to start with a little more of Erik's background. It was in the days that Erik were at the top of our game. He wasn't just a great pilot, he was the best, top of our class at basic training then at Top Gun…," she started before she was interrupted.

"'Top Gun'?" Jake asked, and she looked at him.

"A school for fighter pilots. Only the best are chosen to go and we graduated top of the class so we were the best of the best. One day we were flying on patrol over the Mediterranean from our ship The Enterprise or The Big E as we called it back then.

Flying with us were our Squadron Commander and two of our closest friends were with us at Top Gun. For most of the flight it was just a normal routine patrol nothing to be concerned about. Then a fighter appeared on radar and we were ordered to stick to our patrol while we watched them come closer and closer.

When he was a little, close for comfort the Squadron Commander us to stay on patrol while he checked if it was really a loner. As we waited for word, the fighter turned right for us and the next thing we knew six Migs blew right past us. We realized that five had hid in the radar signature of the leader.

We maneuvered as they zoomed around us every now and then getting a missile lock on us. Suddenly they opened fire and we engaged. Oh you should have seen him fly then covering our friends he managed to take out four by the time the Squadron Commander got back.

We were just getting a lock on our fifth kill when he told us to disengage and let him handle it Erik told him he had the better shot. He pulled rank and forced his way between us and the fighter and we had to maneuver to avoid a collision. Unfortunately we flew right threw his jet wash and it put us into a vertical spin.

Erik was just regaining control when it happened…," she said, her voice going quite as she laid a paw against the ShadowKat

"What happened?" Jake asked, after a moment.

Slowly she looked at them. "We nicked our friends plane, tore their wing right off and we were forced to eject. The crew searched for them for over a day but found nothing they were presumed dead. Erik was blamed for the whole thing and lost his wings and was blacklisted despite objections from most of the pilots the rest you know," she said, and Jake and Chance looked at each other.

"No wonder he takes it so hard I would if that happened to me," Chance said, looking back at the ladder.

Hours later Chance found Erik on the roof looking up at the stars. "I take it Cassie told you?" he asked, not turning around.

"Yeah she did and I'm not here to tell you to get over it, or anything like that. But I am going to tell you that I do some what know how you feel. When me and Jake were thrown out of The Enforcers at first I thought my life was over because I was a pilot not a Junker.

Then we built the TurboKat and I felt alive again…" Chance started before Erik interrupted him.

"'…because you could answer the call of the wild blue yonder,'" he said, finishing looking at him.

"You didn't kill any friends when you got here did you, or didn't she mention that I was godfather to the kid of the pilot. And that Cassie was maid of honor at the other's wedding. Neither family wanted to see us again when we got back to port," he said, turning back to look up at the stars.

After a few seconds silence Chance said, "ok then listen to this would either one of your friends want you to keep blaming yourself for something that really wasn't your fault. Or would they want you back in the sky, and on that note I'll make a deal with you. You taker her up one time and I'll never bother you again about flying," Chance said, then turned and left and Erik turn to watch him go.

For the rest of the night Erik sat up on the roof deep in thought before falling asleep as he watched the stars move across the sky. Awakening just as the sun peeked over the horizon he got up and went back down stairs.

Shortly after Cassie was awakened with a jolt by him tossing things on the bed. "Erik where the heck…," she started to complain then stopped when she saw the black and red flight suit he was wearing and the helmet under his arm

Looking down she smiled when she saw the matching set he had tossed on the bed. "Put those on we have a date with a jet in five," he said.

**PLEASE REVIEW**


	9. Wild Kats Take Flight

Sitting in the cockpit of the ShadowKat with Cassie behind him Eric looked over their final checklist Erik and Cassie dressed in their fight suits. And a first for them masks under their helmets. Watched as the TurboKat was lowered to the runway below.

"TurboKat, LAUNCH!" T-Bone said and they heard the afterburners fire up below them.

As the sound of the afterburners died away, the lift came backup for us and with a small jolt; the je was moved into position on the lift. With another jolt, the lift spun and lowered to the runway and Eric snapped his oxygen mask in place.

"ShadowKat, LAUNCH!" Eric called firing the afterburners.

With a roar of the engines, the jet rocketed forward down, out of the tunnel, and into the sky. Breathing deeply he looked out the canopy at the ground shrinking below the jet as it rocketed into the sky. Exhaling he looked forward as the old rush came over him.

"Eric, Cassie you with us?" T-Bone asked over the comlink.

After giving himself, a shake he faced forward. "Roger T I'm with you," he said and banked the jet after the others.

"So how does to feel to be back in the sky buddy?" T-Bone asked as Eric leveled off next to the TurboKat so they were flying their wings almost touching.

Looking over Eric nodded. "I admit it…, it feels great," he said.

"This feels wonderful!" Cassie said behind him at her station and he glanced her.

Smiling T-Bone looked over at him. "Then how about some real flying, first one to tag the other wins!' he said then banked hard to the opposite side and after taking a breath to calm himself Erik followed.

For almost thirty minutes, both jets streaked across the sky with the ShadowKat keeping to basic maneuvers. And inside the ShadowKat Cassie stared worried at the back of Eric's seat as she also looked over her radar and scenery equipment. After she shook her head after Eric did a slow roll for him to avoid T-Bone from tagging them she switched her comlink.

"T-Bone, Razor you read me?" she said into it.

"We read you Cass," Razor replied.

"Guys I know you're hold back T-Bone, and frankly I get a better ride at an amusement park," she said.

"You think something more drastic is needed?" T-Bone asked.

"Maybe a year ago the way he's flying we would say it's an insult to a beautiful machine. And the ShadowKat is a thing of beauty and I can hear her screaming to be set free. And frankly he either needs to fly her right and use her or let her die," she said.

"What do you have in mind?" Razor asked.

About ten minutes later T-Bone let Eric get behind him after they had gained altitude. Then at Cassie's signal, he veered hard in front and across Eric's path.

At once alarms went off in the ShadowKat. "SHOOT WE WENT THROUGH THEIR JET WASH!" Eric shouted as the ShadowKat started to go into a spin and they plummeted to the ground.

"COME ON ERIC RECOVER!" Cassie shouted at him praying she had done the right thing.

Above them T-Bone circled as they watched them spinning back to earth. "Come on Eric, come on you can do it," T-Bone muttered and felt Razor's eyes on him.

In the ShadowKat Eric, both paws on the yoke he struggled to recover. "ERIC YOU EITHER RECOVER OR WE PUNCH OUT!" Cassie yelled at him.

Fangs bared he closed his eyes muttering to himself, "Come on Paul, Dan talk to me,"

"It wasn't your fault Lieutenant," Paul's voice said in his ear and he glanced over to see both Paul' and Dan's smiling faces.

Nodding Dan said, "Paul's right Talon this was our destiny, you need to stop blaming yourself, and if you ever get back tell our families that we love them," and the pair of them faded away.

At once Eric snapped his eyes open yelling. Above them both T-Bone's and Razor's heads went left and right looking for them after they had lost sight of them after sinking through some clouds.

"Where are they? You have them on radar?" T-Bone demanded looking back at Razor.

"I got nothing just us up here they must have punched out!" Razor said.

"CRUD!" T-Bone snapped throwing his head back against his seat then froze.

"Ah I think I found them," he muttered.

"What! Where?" Razor snapped.

"There!" T-Bone snapped pointing straight up and Razor after looking up froze at what he saw.

While flying upside down right above them Eric glared down at them from his seat in the ShadowKat. After the four looked at each other the two rolled the jets away and Eric firing the afterburners and tore after the TurboKat. Cassie giving a cry of exhilaration.

For the next twenty minutes, Eric and T-Bone flew their hearts out. They rolled they looped they finked all the while trying to get a lock on the other. After doing, a loop with a roll Eric swiveled to keep his eye on the TurboKat as they kept behind them.

Rolling again, he pulled hard on the yoke as they dived and looped back up and spun right around. "Dame these guys are good!" Cassie shouted swiveling in her seat to look behind them at the closely pursing TurboKat.

From his position, Razor worked to get a lock on the ShadowKat. Then just as he acquired it, the ShadowKat suddenly jerked upward, seemed to flip through the air up, and over them then leveled off behind them. And before T-Bone could maneuver out of the line of fire the alarm that they had been locked on sounded.

"Bang! You're dead!" Eric said coming alongside them.

"Now that was impressive," T-Bone said looking over at them as Razor clapped.

Smiling behind his oxygen mask Eric said, "ah just a little something that got me the top slot at Top Gun," and Cassie reached over the weapons and radar panel to pat his shoulder.

"Well I bet you can't pull that on me again," T-Bone said and Eric's head whipped around to look at him.

"Do I detect a sore looser?" he said and Razor cooed.

"Now that's a challenge if I ever heard one, TWO OUT OF THREE!" T-Bine snapped.

"You're on!" Eric snapped back and with Cassie letting loose a cry banked hard beneath them.

For the next thirty minutes they were once more engaged in an intense dogfight between the two then an alarm went off. "That's Callie!" Razor said and Eric looked over and they maneuvered into formation.

"Yes Miss Briggs?" Chance said into his comlink while Eric and Cassie listened in.

"SWAT Kats, Turmoil is back! She's attacking the Mayor's private jet!" they heard Callie say.

At the same time, a high-pitched accented voice screamed, "Feral this is Mayor Manx, HELP!"

"We're on our way," T-Bone said then looked at Eric.

"You two up for your first mission?" he asked.

Nodding Eric asked, "What are we armed with?"

"I outfitted you with a cement cannon and old fashioned missiles, didn't think you'd know what to do our custom made ones," Razor.

"You figured right, we'll hid in your radar signature on the way, LETS MOVE," Cassie said and both jets shot forward into supersonic.

Coming out of supersonic Eric gapped at the size of the armored airship with a giant cannon set underneath it. "That thing is huge!" he muttered.

"Yeah looks like T-Bone's old girlfriend hasn't lost her touch," Razor said.

"Ah stuff it Razor, LOOK!" T-Bone said pointing and they saw fighters trying to rein in a sleek looking private jet into range of the cannon.

"That's the Mayor Manx's jet!" T-Bone said.

Looking over Cassie barked, "Ok guys call it, you want us to go in with you or hang back?" and they looked at us.

"Are you kidding you guys are our secret weapon. Rig for silent running, approach with caution to attack the air ship's main cannon on our signal," T-Bone instructed.

"Roger rigging for silent running!" Eric said and flipping a couple switches the sound of his engine died away and while the TurboKat shot forward, the ShadowKat peeled higher into the sky.

Looking out her window Callie stared wide-eyed at the jet circling them while Mayor Manx cowered in his seat holding his golf club. "We repeat, you will alter course and follow us to the Valkyrie Airship," she heard the leader say over the comlink.

Face and eyes hard Callie pushed to the cockpit and snatched up a mike from between the pilot and copilot. "This is Deputy Mayor Briggs forget it!" she snapped into it.

At that, the jets peeled away then came back around. "Then we'll force you in," the leader said.

Eyes wide Callie watched as they came closer and closer and the alarm for a missile lock sound. "Deputy Mayor Briggs they have us lit up like a Christmas Tree," the pilot snapped.

"This is your last warning follow us to the airship or we will blow you out of the sky!" the leader snapped.

"I don't think so!"

At that, instant Callie's hands shot up to shield her eyes from the flash of light that exploded from nowhere. When she lowered them, she saw the fighters had scattered. Some fell to the earth in pieces their pilots ejected.

Turning to quickly scan the sky she cried in glee, "THE SWAT KATS!" pointing as the TurboKat rocketed toward them.

Inside the TurboKat Razor acquired locks on the other fighters. "Buzz saw Barrage deployed!" Razor called firing the missiles and the rest of the fighters fell from the sky with their wings clipped.

"Nice shooting sure shot!" T-Bone cried.

Then turned as Feral on the comlink commanded, "Back off SWAT Kats the Enforcers will handle this!" and he saw Enforcer Jets fly up to them.

"Turmoil this is Commander Feral, you are under…," Feral started then was cut short as a barrage of laser fire opened up on the enforcers.

"SQUADRON ENGAGE!" Feral ordered rolling to avoid being hit.

Leveling out behind one of the fighters he opened up on it the growled as it rolled away and slipped behind him. Before it opened up on him, a rain of laser fire shot down on it and it fell to earth in a blaze of fire.

"I guess it's my turn to say watch your tail uncle!" Felina said pulling alongside her uncle.

"Don't get cocky we still are outnumbered," he said thrusting forward and engaging another.

Just as he sent falling to earth a ball of fire he was hit on the side, sent spinning out of control, and forced to eject. "THIS IS FERAL GIVE ME CHOPPER BACK UP!" he called into his walkie-talkie.

Watching Feral's parachute float slowly drop Razor muttered, "Looks like Feral got his tail handed to him," then gave a cry as the TurboKat was put into a tight maneuver as the main vertigo beam fired on them.

"Yeah and if we're not careful we're next!" T-Bone snapped as he maneuvered to avoid more shots from the beam.

After doing a tight roll to avoid a shot a voice came in over the comlink, "T-Bone it is so good to see you again," and T-Bone groaned.

"Wish I could say the same Turmoil,' he muttered banking hard.

"Now T-Bone is that anyway to speak to one you so cared for, my offer still stands for you and your partner. You could still be my Flight Commander, and him my Weapons Officer," Turmoil said.

Fangs bared T-Bone pulled a tight maneuver to avoid a shot but a second caught them full on. "How many times… do I have to tell you…? YOU'RE NOT MY TYPE!" he barked as he tried to fight the vertigo.

"Then you will pay with your lives!" Turmoil screeched.

"Guess again!" Eric's voiced called out as a missile plowed into the laser and exploded and the ShadowKat burst from the cloud of smoke.

"You two ok?" Cassie demanded as T-Bone and Razor shook their heads.

"Yeah great timing you two," Razor said.

"Sorry we could wait for your signal," Eric said.

"Actually you got right on the button now let's take care of the rest of these fighters!" T-Bone said and the two jets shot forward.

"Buzz Saw Missiles Launched!" Razor barked acquiring a lock and fired the missiles.

As the two fighters dropped from the sky, they were fired on from behind. "Razor we got bogies on our tail!" T-Bone snapped banking hard.

"Don't worry buddy I got them, Drop Tops! DEPLOYED!" Razor snapped and the corded spinning tops dropped from the jet and slammed into their pursuers cutting them to pieces.

In their own fight, Eric rolled through the sky slipped in behind several fighters. "I've got… locks, FIRING!" he snapped firing the missiles, which slammed into their targets.

"WAHOO! Never took out so many at once!" he called out as the fighters dropped out of the sky their pilots floating down after ejecting.

"I'll say… WHOA! We got two behind us!" Cassie snapped out the last part twisting in her seat to look behind them as lasers fire came from behind and Eric banked hard.

"I CAN'T GET THEM OFF US!" he cried after looped upside down and they followed.

Looking at the panel in front of her Cassie muttered, "let's see what we got here… this is interesting," she said flipping a couple switches and a targeting display appeared.

"missile locked FIRING!" she snapped and a missile dropped out of the underbelly of the plane and shot forward slamming into one of the pursuing fighter's wing and exploded.

"YEAH!" she shouted as the jet dropped from the sky the pilot ejecting.

"But we still got one more on our tail! Let's try this!" Eric snapped and pulling hard on the yoke and throttle.

Immediately the ShadowKat went into a tight loop and faced the jet as it passed, he fired the cement cannon. Shot after shot hit the passing jet covering the canopy parts of the main body and finally over the engine nozzle.

"YES!" he shouted as the jet dropped without propulsion the jet dropped like stone.

"Nice going you two now let's finish this!" T-Bone said and both jets turned toward the air fortress.

"DO NOT THINK OF THIS AS A VICTORY T-BONE! I WILL RETURN!" a voice called out over the air fortress intercom and missile launched into the sky and exploded a great flash of light causing them to shield their eyes.

When they were finally able to lower them, they gapped. The Valkyrie was gone.

"CRUD! How could something that big just vanish!" T-Bone shouted as they shifted the jets into hover mode.

"Well somehow they did it," Eric muttered then turned as the Mayor's jet circles toward them with Felina's jet.

"Thanks SWAT Kats, but who are your new partners?" Callie's voice asked.

At that, the four heroes glanced at each other. "We're The Wild Kats, just call me… Talon!" Talon said jamming his thumb at himself.

"And call me… Merlin!" Merlin said as she nodded and with that and a final thumbs up and salute from Talon the two jets rocketed away.

When the group finally landed in the tunnel of the salvage yard Talon gave a deep sigh of content as the ShadowKat was lifted up and moved into place next to the TurboKat.

Leaping out the jets the friends looked at each other. "Wild Kats and I like the call names," Chance said slipping off his helmet and mask.

"It's was our collage hockey team and our call names in the military, but I gotta I haven't felt this good in weeks," Eric said slipping off his.

"I'll say but Eric we gotta go we got an appointment with Lynx in half hour for our blood tests," Cassie said looking at the clock on the wall.

Looking at it as well Eric nodded and unzipped his flight suit. "Alright but before the two of us go I have to thank you for breaking me out of my slump," he said looking at Chance.

Smiling at Kat waved it off. "No problem you would have…," said then was knocked off his feet as Eric's fist plowed into his jaw.

"Now that I owed you!" he snapped pointing at him before walking over to slip his gear in a locker.

"FOR WHAT?" Chance demanded.

Looking back at him Eric muttered, "For listening to Cassie's plan and purposely putting us in that spin," and glared at Cass before climbing up the ladder.

The three stood still looking after him then at each other. "Well I had a feeling he'd figure it out," she muttered.

**PLEASE REVIEW**


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